How to engage with alumni and build support
Unless you conduct exit interviews with graduating seniors, and even if you do, you may not be totally sure that they gained the desired life-long values and qualities that are the goals of the education-based philosophy. With your commitment and the work of your coaches, you hope that your former student-athletes had a great experience. But even though the alumni of your program no longer actively participate, it doesn’t mean that their positive involvement should end.
What do you do to maintain relationships, involve your alumni, and develop support from this valuable and influential group of individuals? Some high schools have an alumni association, and it would be wise and beneficial to develop a mutually beneficial working relationship with them. Whether you work together or develop initiatives on your own, the following represent a few approaches to consider.
- Host a panel discussion of former student-athletes for your current students and their parents. In this session, the athletic administrator would serve as the moderator and allow each alumni athlete to introduce themselves, including the team(s) that they played on and what they did after graduation. Then ask the group to explain what they gained by their participation, what qualities they developed that carried over into their career, and what they remember the most about their high school experience.
To ensure this evening’s success, you would do your due diligence and invite alumni who you know will provide a positive message that represents the education-based athletics concept. Additionally, you would prepare them by outlining a few of the questions you will ask.
- Interview former athletes, and they could be the same individuals who you invite to participate in your panel discussion, and ask them to detail the qualities and values they gained from playing their sport that they use in their career or life. Post these testimonials along with photos of their school days and current position on your website, on your Facebook page, on your Instagram account, or on other platforms. These positive statements represent invaluable marketing materials for the value and tenets of the education-based concept.
- Create an annual alumni game. Invite former athletes to relive their glory days and get back in the action by hosting an alumni game. This can help former athletes recall the fond memories from their playing days and re-establish a connection with the program and school. Invite current players to participate or watch the game, and ask the alumni to interact with the current players to create new connections between athletes past and present.
- Reach out to your former student-athletes when you launch a capital campaign fundraising effort. In addition to any financial support that they might provide, they might also serve as an outreach person to help convince others to contribute. If any alumni serve in this capacity, you definitely want to honor them for their outstanding efforts on behalf of the program and the school.
- Remember that your hall of fame is an excellent, established way to recognize and connect with former student-athletes. Beyond considering their qualifications, such as being named to an all-state team and other similar accomplishments, you should always factor in whether they will serve as a positive role model for future athletes.
Hosting a reception is a great way to bring back and involve teammates, former coaches, and community members to honor the current slate of inductees. Also, if the inductees are being introduced or actually inducted before or at halftime of a football, basketball, or other game, attendance would normally be increased. And don’t forget to alert the local media and supply them with the highlights and photos of the inductees.
- Utilize your homecoming experience to its fullest extent. Commonly, this event centers around the football game, but consider expanding to also host and promote similar homecoming contests with soccer, field hockey, volleyball, and cross country. This might mean starting on Thursday afternoon and also utilizing Saturday morning for some contests, and involving the largest number of alumni possible.
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Reaching out and involving your alumni will help keep this valuable group connected, and they can continue to contribute to the successful operation of your program. It’s not complicated. A few simple steps or initiatives on your part can make all the difference.
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